FC Barcelona individual records - FC Barcelona FC BARCELONA FC Barcelona Records (updated 20 August 2016) The stadium scoreboard announces how Messi had equalled Cesar's goalscoring record for FC Barcelona World Only player to win the Ballon d’Or, FIFA World Player, Pichichi trophy and Golden Boot in same season: Leo Messi in season 2009/10. Player with most Ballons d’Or won: Leo Messi with five (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015). Player with most Golden Boots: Leo Messi with three (2010, 2011 and 2012) Youngest player to win three Ballons d’Or: on January 9 , 2012 Leo Messi got his third aged 24 years, 6 months and 17 days. Only time ever that three player from the same team’s youth system were the nominees for the Ballon d’Or: Messi, Xavi and Iniesta were the candidates for Ballon d’Or 2010.

Record Ballons d’Or from same club: 11 (1 Suárez, 2 Cruyff, 1 Stoichkov, 1 Rivaldo, 1 Ronaldinho and 5 Messi). Leading scorer over a season of official games: Leo Messi 73 in the 2011/12 season(50 in L a Liga, 14 in the Champions League, 3 in the Cup, 3 in the Spanish Super Cup, 1 in the European Super Cup and 2 in the World Club Cup). Most goals in a calendar year: Leo Messi, with 96 goals in 2012. For Barça 84 goals and 12 for Argentina. Most international goals in a calendar year: Leo Messi with 25 gols (13 in Champions League and for Argentina) in 2012, to equal Vivian John Woodward (25 goals in 1909). Longest scoring run in La Liga: Messi, with 33 goals in 21 consecutive games in 2012/13.

Player with most appearances in European competitions: Xavi Hernandez (1998-2015), 173 matches. Player with most appearances in European Cup / Champions League: Xavi Hernandez (1998-2015), with 157 games. Highest goalscorer in Champions League history: Leo Messi, 77 goals in 99 games (tied with Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), 77 goals in 115 games) Only player who has been leading scorer in the Champions League for four seasons on the run: Leo Messi from 2008/09 to 2011/12. Top scorer most times in the Champions League: Leo Messi, fives seasons 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12 and 2014/15. Leading scorer over a European league season since the start of the Golden Boot in 1966/67: Leo Messi 50 goals in 2011/12 season.

National Player with most domestic and international titles: Andrés Iniesta and Leo Messi with 29 trophies (3 Club WOrld Cups, 4 Champions League, 3 European Super Cups, 8 Leagues, 4 Copas del Rey and 7 Spanish Super Cups). Highest all-time scorer in La Liga: Leo Messi, 312 goals in 348 games. Leading scorer in the second half of a league season:Leo Messi 28 in the 2011/12 season. Only player to be the leading scorer and leader in assists over a season:Leo Messi 50 goals in the 2011/12 season and 15 assists (tied with Real Madrid’s Ozil). Coach with most titles: Josep Guardiola, with 14 titles from 2008 through 2012 (2 Club World Cups, 2 Champions Leagues, 3 Ligas, 2 Copas del Rey, 2 European Super Cups and 3 Spanish Super Cups).

Guardiola is level with Miguel Muñoz (Real Madrid), who won 14 titles from 1959 through 1974 (9 Ligas, 2 Cups, 2 European Cups and 1 Intercontinental Cup). Absolute highest goalscorer in one season: Leo Messi, with 75 goals in the 2011/12 season (50 in the Liga, 14 in the Champions League, 3 in the Cop del Rey, 3 in the Spanish Super Cup, 1 in the European Super Cup, 2 in the Club World Cup and 2 in friendly matches). Top goalscorer in a Liga game: Ladislao Kubala, seven goals in the match between FC Barcelona and Sporting Gijón (9-0) on February 10, 1952. Club Top goalscorer in history: Leo Messi with 485 goals in 516 games.

He started his first team career in 2004 and his goal tally breaks down in the following way: 312 goals in La Liga, 83 in the Champions League, 39 in the Cup, 12 in the Spanish Super Cup, 3 in the European Super Cup, 5 in the Club World Cup, and 31 in friendly matches. Top goalscorer in official competitions: Leo Messi (2004-...), with 454 goals (286 in the Liga, 83in the Champions League, 39 in the Copa del Rey, 12 in the Spanish Super Cup, 3 in the European Super Cup and 5 in the Club World Cup). Top goalscorer in the Cup: Josep Samitier (1919-32), with 65 goals. Longest goalscoring run in official competitions: Mariano Martín scored 21 goals in eleven games (8 in Liga and 3 in Cup) between February 14 and May 9, 1943.

Highest goalscorer in international competitions: Messi (2004 -...), with 91 goals (83 in the Champions League, 3 in the Spanish Supercup and 5 in the Clubs World Cup. Top goalscorer in one game: Joan Gamper, 9 goals three times: Franco-Espanyol 0 v FC Barcelona 13, in the Copa Macaya (10-2-1901); Tarragona 0 v FC Barcelona 18, in the Copa Macaya (17 -3-1901); FC Barcelona 13 v Club X 0, in the Copa Barcelona (1-2-1903); Escolà, 9 goals in the game FC Barcelona 11 Real Unión Irún 1 (7-7-1935). Top goalscorer in a game in Cup: Eulogio Martínez, seven goals in the game FC Barcelona 8 - At. Madrid 1 (1-5-1957), return leg of cup round of sixteen 1956-57.

Only players in the history of the club to score in six official competitions in a year: Pedro Rodríguez scored in 2009 in the Spanish Super Cup, European Supercup, Champions League, Liga, Copa del Rey and Clubs World Cup. Leo Messi scored in 2011 in the Spanish Super Cup, European Supercup, Champions League, Liga, Copa del Rey and World Club Cup. Players with most goals at the halfway stage of La Liga: Messi with 22 goals halfway through Liga 2011/12 (19 match days), along with César in the Liga 1950/51 (15 match days).

FC Barcelona players who have been the La Liga top scorers: Mariano Martín (1942/43, 32 goals in 23 games), César Rodríguez (1948/49, 28 goals in 24 games), Cayetano Re (1964/65, 25 goals in 30 games), Carles Rexach (1970/71, 17 goals in 28 games), Hans Krankl (1978/79, 29 goals in 30 games), Enrique Castro, "Quini" (1980/81, 20 goals in 30 games), Enrique Castro "Quini" (1981/82, 26 goals in 32 games), Romario da Souza (1993/94, 30 goals in 33 games), Ronaldo (1996/97, 34 goals in 37 games), Samuel Eto'o ( 2005/06, 26 goals in 35 games), Leo Messi (2009/

10, 34 goals in 35 games) and again in the 2011/12 season with 50 goals in 37 games, and again in the 2012/13 season with 46 goals in 32 games, Luis Suárez, (2015/16, 40 goals in 35 games).

FC Barcelona goalkeepers that have won the Zamora: Juan Zambudio Velasco (1947/48, 31 goals conceded in 26 games), Antoni Ramallets (1951/52, 40 goals conceded in 28 games), Antoni Ramallets (1955/56, 24 goals in 29 games), Antoni Ramallets (1956/57, 35 goals conceded in 29 games), Antoni Ramallets (1958/59, 22 goals conceded in 28 games), Antoni Ramallets (1959/60, 24 goals in 27 games) , Josep Manuel Pesudo (1965-66, 15 goals in 22 games), Salvador Sadurní (1968/69, 18 goals in 30 games), Miguel Reina (1972/73, 21 goals in 34 games), Salvador Sadurní (1973/74 , 22 goals in 30 games), Salvador Sadurn

í (1974/75, 19 goals in 24 games), Pedro María Artola (1977/78, 25 goals in 29 games), Francisco Javier González Urruticoechea (1983/84, 26 goals in 32 games), Andoni Zubizarreta (1986/87, 29 goals in 43 games), Víctor Valdés (2004/05, 25 goals in 35 games), Víctor Valdés (2008/09, 31 goals in 35 games), Víctor Valdés (2009 / 10, 24 goals in 38 games), Víctor Valdés (2010/11, 16 goals in 32 games) and again in the 2011/12 season (28 goals in 35 games).

Only times the Zamora and Pichichi trophies were both won in the : 2009/10 and 2011/12, with Víctor Valdés (Zamora) and Leo Messi (Pichichi) Goalkeeper to have lasted the longest without conceding a goal from the start of a Liga season: Claudio Bravo, 754 minutes unbeaten in 2014-15 (clean sheets in eight opening matches and 34 mins of game nine) First Barça player to be Liga top scorer three times: Leo Messi in 2009/10, 2011/12 and 2012/13 FC Barcelona players that have won the Ballon d’Or: Luis Suárez (1960), Johan Cruyff (1973 and 1974), Hristo Stoichkov (1994), Rivaldo (1999), Ronaldinho (2005) and Messi (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015).

FC Barcelona players that have won the FIFA World Player: Romario da Souza (1994), Ronaldo (1996), Rivaldo (1999), Ronaldinho (2004 and 2005) and Messi (2009). FC Barcelona players that have won the European Golden Shoe: Ronaldo (1996/97, 34 goals), Leo Messi (2009/10, 34 goals; 2011/12, 50 goals, 2012/13, 46 goals) and Luis Suárez (2015/16, 40 goals). Goalkeeper with best average goals conceded in la Liga: Víctor Valdés in La Liga 2010/11 with an average of 0.50 goals (16 goals in 32 games).

National record: Liaño (Deportivo) in la Liga 1993/94, with an average of 0.47 goals (18 goals in 38 games) and ) and Oblak (Atlético) in the league 2015/16, with an average of 0.47 gols (18 goals in 38 games). Goalkeeper with most league games without conceding in the same season : Claudio Bravo with 23 games from 37 games in 2014/15 and Andoni Zubizarreta with 23 games in 44 games in 1986/87 Only FCB goalkeeper to ever score a goal: Was Ricardo Zamora, who on December 14, 1919 scored a penalty in the Catalonian Championship game Barça v Internacional (2-1).

Goalkeeper unbeaten for the most consecutive minutes in official competitions: Víctor Valdés, with 896 minutes without conceding a goal in the 2011/12 season Goalkeeper with most minutes without conceding a goal in la Liga: Miguel Reina went 824 minutes without conceding a goal in la Liga in the season 1972-73 (from minute 53 of game 14 to minute 67 of game 23). Player with most appearances: Xavi Hernández. 869 games (1998-2015) Player with most appearances in official competitions: Xavi Hernández (1998-2015), with 767 games Player with most appearances in Liga: Xavi Hernández. 505 games (1998-2015) Player with most appearances in international competitions: Xavi Hernández, 178 games (1998-2015) Youngest player to debut with the first team: Paulino Alcántara, 15 years, 4 months and 18 days.

His debut was on February 25, 1912 in the game FC Barcelona 9 - Català 0 in the Catalonian Championship, and he scored three goals. Most total years as manager: Jack Greenwell, 12 years (1913-1923 and 1931-1933) Manager with best percentage of titles: Josep Guardiola, 14 titles from the 19 possible between 2008 and 2012. Managers nominated for the FIFA Manager of the Year: Josep Guardiola in 2011 and Luis Enrique 2015. Club schedule Messi receives Golden Boot as Europe's top scorer Messi receives Golden Boot as Europe's top scorer JOSEPH WILSON Share View photos Former soccer player Hristo Stoichkov from Bulgaria, left, gives the Golden Boot award to Barcelona's Lionel Messi from Argentina for scoring the most goals in Europe's domestic leagues last season in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013.

(AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) More BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona forward Lionel Messi won a record third Golden Boot on Wednesday for scoring the most goals in Europe's domestic leagues last season. The 26-year-old Messi helped Barcelona win the 2012-13 Spanish league by scoring 46 goals despite missing several games with a right hamstring injury near the end of the season. Messi also won the award for 34 goals in 2009-10, and a Spanish record 50 in 2011-12. The first player to receive the award three times, Messi dedicated his latest trophy to his family and his teammates, calling it a team award. "This is a beautiful award that goes to the entire squad for what it has done," Messi said. "It is a group award more than an individual one because those are a lot of goals. I wouldn't have won it without them, this one or the previous ones." Messi is recovering from a left hamstring tear that will probably keep him sidelined for the rest of 2013. It was his third leg injury of the season. Before his latest injury, he had eight goals in 11 league appearances.

After receiving the trophy from former Barcelona star Hristo Stoichkov, Messi said his leg was feeling better while remaining cautious about rushing back. Several teammates, including Cesc Fabregas, Xavi Hernandez and Carles Puyol, along with club president Sandro Rosell were in attendance. Messi has won the world player of the year award an unprecedented four years in a row. He is again nominated this year, but he has tough competition from Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo and Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery. Messi has played a major part in Barcelona's impressive run of titles in the past decade. He has won three Champions Leagues, six Spanish leagues, two Copas del Rey, two Club World Cups, six Spanish Super Cups and two European Super Cups. Barcelona's all-time leading scorer, Messi's 65 goals in the Champions League is second to former Madrid striker Raul Gonzalez's 71. Reblog Lionel Messi - FC Barcelona FC BARCELONA Images Leo Messi is the best player in the world.

Technically perfect, he brings together unselfishness, pace, composure and goals to make him number one Leo Messi's footballing career started in 1995 at Newell's Old Boys, where he played until the year 2000. At the age of 13, Lionel Messi crossed the Atlantic to try his luck in Barcelona, and joined the Under 14s. Messi made spectacular progress at each of the different age levels, climbing through the ranks to Barça C, followed by Barça B and the first team in record time. In the 2003-2004 season, when he was still only 16, Messi made his first team debut in a friendly with Porto that marked the opening of the new Do Dragao stadium. The following championship-winning season, Messi made his first appearance in an official match on October 16, 2004, in Barcelona's derby win against Espanyol at the Olympic Stadium (0-1). With several first team players seriously injured, the services of several reserve team players were called upon, and Messi became a regular feature of Barça squads.

On May 1, 2005, Messi became the youngest player ever to score a league goal for FC Barcelona - against Albacete when he was only 17 years, 10 months and 7 days old. That record would eventually be beaten by Bojan Krkic. At the Under 20 World Cup in Holland, Messi not only won the title with Argentina, but was also the leading goalscorer and was voted best player in the tournament. Aged 18 years, he had become one of the hottest properties in the world game. Shortly after, he made his first full international appearance in a friendly against Hungary. His breakthrough came in the 2005-06 season, starting with an amazing performance in the Joan Gamper Trophy match against Juventus. He was also outstanding at the Santiago Bernabéu, in Barcelona's unforgettable 3-0 win, and also at Stamford Bridge, in the Champions League match against Chelsea. Injury kept him sidelined for much of the latter stage of the season, but Messi still played a total of 17 league games, 6 in the Champions League and 2 in the Copa del Rey, and scored eight goals.

The following season Messi moved up a gear and astounded the world with goals such as the one he scored against Getafe in the Copa del Rey. In the 2006/07 season, and even though the team didn't win any titles, the Argentine was second in the FIFA World Player awards and third in the Ballon d’Or. He continued to develop in the 2007/08 campaign, when he scored 16 goals and gave 10 assists in the 40 games he played in. In 2008, Leo Messi was runner up in the FIFA World Player awards for the second season in a row. In the 2008/09 season, and now without Ronaldinho alongside him, Messi became the main star of the Barça show. He managed to stay injury free all season, and played 51 games, scoring 38 goals. The Argentinian was also fundamental in the Copa del Rey and Champions League finals, scoring Barça's second goals in both. In 2009, he finally won both the FIFA World Player and Ballon d’Or. How far can Leo Messi go?

He was the league's top scorer in the 2009-10 season and equalled Ronaldo's historic total of 34 goals (96-97). He scored the goal against Estudiantes that won Barça their first Club World Cup. Still hungry for success, the Argentinian went even further in the 2010/11 season, scoring no fewer than 53 official goals, a Spanish record only matched by Cristiano Ronaldo (that very same season). Messi, as in Rome, played a vital role in the Champions League final at Wembley were scored a scorcher from outside the area to put his team ahead. In 2011, he also won the Ballon d’Or for the third time, a feat only previously achieved by Cruyff, Platini and Van Basten and a year later became the first player ever to win it four times. The season 2011/12 is when Messi moved past César Rodríguez's record of 232 official goals to become the Club's all time top goalscorer.

He achieved this on the 20 March 2012 in a 5-3 victory over Granada in which he scored a brilliant hat-trick. Two weeks earlier, on March 7, 2012, the football world watched in awe as he scored five goals in a single game against Bayer 04 Leverkusen. On May 5, 2012, the Leo Messi legend was extended in the derby against Espanyol, when he made it to an unprecedented 50 goals in a league season, scoring four goals in a game for the third time in his career. A remarkable season ended with one of the finest goals of his career in the Copa del Rey final against Athletic Club Bilbao. In the 2011/12 season he has scored in every competition he played in, totally an astonishing 73 as Barça conquered the Spanish Super Cup, European Super Cup, Club World Cup and the Copa del Rey. He ended 2012 with the record number of goals in a calendar year (91), thus beating the historic tally established by Gerd Müller (85 for Bayern Munich and Germany in 1972).

That was not the only outstanding achievement by Messi in the 2012/13 season, another for the record books. The Argentine scored in 19 consecutive league matches - half a season - until an injury at away at PSG meant he was not at his best in the decisive phase of that campaign’s Champions League. On the domestic front, Messi was also key in Barça claiming the league title with 100 points. He was top scorer with 46 goals in the league, ending with 60 in 50 games in all competitions. The following year, 2013/14, was difficult one for the Barça number 10, due to injuries more than anything else. Messi picked up a hamstring injury in November that forced him to miss more than a month of the campaign. Nevertheless, he still scored 41 goals in 46 matches that year, 28 in the league, 5 in the Copa del Rey and 8 in the Champions League.

Messi made his 250th league appearance in that season and in a game in the Copa del Rey against Levante, he played in his 400th match in a Barça shirt, having recorded a staggering 331 goals at that point in his career for the blaugranes. In the same season Messi reached yet another landmark, overtaking Paulino Alcántara’s total of 369 goals to become the leading goalscorer of all time at the Club The 2014/2015 season was one of the Argentine star's most brilliant. Messi was one of the great architects of the second Treble in club history, six years after winning the League, the Spanish Cup, and the UEFA Champions League in the same season. Thanks to his 56 goals in all three competitions, Messi established two almost unattainable records. First, in a game against Sevilla at Camp Nou Messi surpassed Telmo Zarra's 251 career goals to become the all-time leading scorer in league history.

Second, with a hat-trick at APOEL Nicosia, Messi passed Raúl's 71 career goals to become the all-time leading scorer in Champions League history. Messi closed the season with 77 goals in 99 career Champions League games. The Argentine’s amazing form had its reward on a personal level when in January 2016 he claimed the Ballon d’Or award for an unprecedented fifth time in his career. Messi also led the tournament in scoring for the fifth time — tied with Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo at 10 each. The Argentinian also surpassed Luis Figo's all-time La Liga assist record (105). Messi is also captain of the Argentina national side and has played in three World Cups (2006, 2010 and 2014) and three Copa Américas (2007, 2011 and 2015). In the summer of 2008 he also played at the Beijing Olympics, and came home with a gold medal. Technical profile Messi is an excellent, sensational, unique player.

He is astoundingly creative, has amazing individual skill and is able to constantly put his rivals at unease. A natural left footer, he is stunningly versatile, and can play either in the middle or on whichever of the wings required, although it is out on the right that he feels most comfortable. He may not be very tall, but his speed and physique enable him to cope with even the toughest of defenders. He is surprisingly strong, and can hold on to the ball in style, as if it were stuck to his feet. There is simply nobody like him anywhere else in the game. He is also a specialist at all dead ball situations, especially free kicks and penalties. His cold blood and ability to take on responsibilities are other virtues that make Leo Messi simply the best footballer on the planet. Samarreta Champions League Top 10 Goal Scorers of All Time: Lionel Messi & Cristiano Ronaldo Fighting For Top Spot : Sports : Latin Post Share This Tweet This The UEFA Champions League is without a doubt the most popular annual soccer tournament in all of Europe. The best clubs in the continent compete for the right to be named the best, but it's also a great time to showcase the best players from around the world.

As usual, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo lead the discussion of "best player in the world." And, not surprisingly, Messi and Ronaldo are the two most prolific goal scorers in the history of the UEFA Champions league. Messi found the net against Bayer Leverkusen in a 1-1 draw in group stage as Barcelona secured Group E. That was Messi's 80th career goal in the Champions League , which is the most ever by a South American born player. It is also the most ever by a player who has played his entire career on one team. His 80 goals is the second most in Champions League history behind only (you guessed it) Cristiano Ronaldo. Advertisement Ronaldo had himself quite a day against Malmo in Real Madrid's overwhelming 8-0 victory. The 30-year-old forward out of Portugal scored four goals to bring his career total to 88, the most ever. Ronaldo has scored a wide majority of his Champions League goals for Real Madrid as opposed to Manchester United. Both Ronaldo and Messi are very young, so we can expect this rivalry to continue for quite some time.

There's a good chance that both Messi and Ronaldo will score more than 100 career Champions League goals when it's all said and done. Although Ronaldo has eight more goals, Messi has the edge in efficiency. Messi has scored 80 goals in 102 games, an average of 0.78 goals per game. Ronaldo has scored 88 goals in 121 games, an average of 0.73 goals per game. With Real Madrid and Barcelona always in contention, it would be exciting to watch these two superstars go at it against each other. Messi and Ronaldo are also tops in Champions League hat tricks. Messi is the all-time leader with five while Ronaldo has four. Most goals Champions League history 1. Cristiano Ronaldo: 88 Messi receives Golden Boot as Europe's top scorer Messi receives Golden Boot as Europe's top scorer JOSEPH WILSON (Associated Press) Share View photos Barcelona's Lionel Messi from Argentina looks on after receiving his Golden Boot award for scoring the most goals in Europe's domestic leagues last season in Barcelona, Spain, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2013.

(AP Photo/Manu Fernandez) More BARCELONA, Spain (AP) -- Barcelona forward Lionel Messi won a record third Golden Boot on Wednesday for scoring the most goals in Europe's domestic leagues last season. The 26-year-old Messi helped Barcelona win the 2012-13 Spanish league by scoring 46 goals despite missing several games with a right hamstring injury near the end of the season. Messi also won the award for 34 goals in 2009-10, and a Spanish record 50 in 2011-12. The first player to receive the award three times, Messi dedicated his latest trophy to his family and his teammates, calling it a team award. ''This is a beautiful award that goes to the entire squad for what it has done,'' Messi said. ''It is a group award more than an individual one because those are a lot of goals. I wouldn't have won it without them, this one or the previous ones.'' Messi is recovering from a left hamstring tear that will probably keep him sidelined for the rest of 2013. It was his third leg injury of the season.

Before his latest injury, he had eight goals in 11 league appearances. After receiving the trophy from former Barcelona star Hristo Stoichkov, Messi said his leg was feeling better while remaining cautious about rushing back. Several teammates, including Cesc Fabregas, Xavi Hernandez and Carles Puyol, along with club president Sandro Rosell were in attendance. Messi has won the world player of the year award an unprecedented four years in a row. He is again nominated this year, but he has tough competition from Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo and Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery. Messi has played a major part in Barcelona's impressive run of titles in the past decade. He has won three Champions Leagues, six Spanish leagues, two Copas del Rey, two Club World Cups, six Spanish Super Cups and two European Super Cups. Barcelona's all-time leading scorer, Messi's 65 goals in the Champions League is second to former Madrid striker Raul Gonzalez's 71.

Reblog Profile: Lionel Messi - CNN.com Profile: Lionel Messi Lionel Messi has already helped Barca to the La Liga and Copa del Rey titles 21-year-old the top scorer in this season's Champions League with eight goals Messi seen as the natural heir-apparent to Argentine legend Diego Maradona Next Article in World Sport » By Mark Tutton and Greg Duke CNN -- Lionel Messi is universally recognized as being one of football's greatest current players and the Argentine, who does not turn 22 until June, will have a captive world-wide audience watching his every move when he dons the famous red and blue Barcelona shirt for Wednesday's Champions League final against Manchester United. Lionel Messi has finished second in FIFA's World Player of the Year award two years in a row. Messi burst onto the world stage in 2003 when he made his debut, as a raw 16-year-old, in a friendly against Portuguese side Porto -- and since then he has become the natural heir-apparent to Argentine legend Diego Maradona.

Born in Rosario, Argentina, in 1987, a year after Maradona almost single-handidly won the World Cup for his country in Mexico, Messi's talent was obvious at a very early age. He joined Argentine club Newell's Old Boys aged just eight, where he stayed until he joined Barcelona's under-14 squad in 2000. With Barcelona he has already won three league championships, two Spanish Super cups, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League. On the international stage he has won the Under-20 World Cup with Argentina in 2005, while being voted player of tournament and making his mark as the tournament's leading goalscorer. Don't Miss Champions League: Thierry Henry scores twice as Barcelona beat Lyon 5-2 in second leg | Football | The Guardian Close This article is 7 years old Barcelona destroyed Lyon's hopes with four goals inside the first 45 minutes on the way to a 5-2 second-leg win that showed Liverpool are not the only side who can turn on the class while booking a place in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Thierry Henry grabbed two goals in two minutes midway through the first period to see the 2006 winners on their way and, after his three successful strikes over the two legs, Lyon fans must be heartily sick of their compatriot. Lionel Messi scored Barcelona's third after surging into the Lyon penalty area and exchanging passes with Samuel Eto'o for an exquisite finish before Eto'o added another high-profile name to the score sheet with another fine goal two minutes before the break. Lyon hit back with a goal either side of half-time, playmaker Juninho setting up the first and scoring the second. But Barcelona were not going to let a place in the last eight slip away in front of their home fans and, despite a flurry of Lyon challenges that earned six players yellow cards and Juninho a red, added a fifth from substitute Salif Keita deep into injury time to win 6-3 on aggregate. After Real's capitulation at Anfield on Tuesday, Atlético Madrid travelled to Porto, the 2004 winners, intent on upholding the pride of the Spanish capital.

After a 2-2 draw in the first leg the first half was a pedestrian affair with few efforts on goal and Porto were happy to keep the Spanish side at bay for much of the second half to win a last eight place on away goals. Henry, booked in first-half injury time, scored his first after running on to a lofted pass from Rafael Márquez in the 25th minute and slotting home under the body of Lyon goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. He repeated the dose two minutes later when, unmarked, he was fed the ball by Xavi Hernandez to score his fourth goal of this season's competition. Henry then turned provider for Eto'o, playing the ball across the area and the Cameroonian striker evaded one challenge before lashing the ball past Lloris. Juninho, Lyon's scorer in the first leg, helped ease Lyon's pain shortly before the interval when his corner was headed in by Jean Makoun. The Brazilian scored the French champions' second three minutes after the break after a dummy by Karim Benzema created the space for Juninho to place a low shot past Victor Valdés.

Henry was substituted after 75 minutes as coach Josep Guardiola looked towards Sunday's La Liga trip to Almeria. In Porto, Atlético brought on Diego Forlán for Maxi Rodríguez early in the second half in an attempt to sharpen their attacking options but the game failed to catch light despite Porto, who came from behind twice in the first leg, having one of this season's most productive goalscorers in the competition, the Argentinian Lisandro, leading the line. Lisandro had scored a goal in each half in Madrid but, apart from two efforts early in the second half, was kept largely quiet by the Atletico defence. With 13 minutes left, Porto's Hulk hit the Atlético crossbar but the home side was happy just to keep the visitors quiet. Messi 3 goals from Spanish league's top scorer Messi 3 goals from Spanish league's top scorer JOSEPH WILSON (Associated Press) Share View photos Barcelona's Lionel Messi, right, is faced by a wall of PSG defenders during the Champions League soccer match between PSG and Barcelona, at the Parc des Princes stadium, in Paris, Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2014.

(AP Photo/Christophe Ena) More BARCELONA, Spain (AP) -- Lionel Messi is three goals away from equaling the Spanish league's all-time scoring record, a milestone that has stood untouched for almost 60 years. Athletic Bilbao great Telmo Zarra scored 251 goals in 271 games from 1940-55. Since netting his first goal for Barcelona in 2005, Messi has 248 goals in league play. Saturday's match at Rayo Vallecano will be his 284th league appearance. ''Right now, I am not thinking about the record,'' Messi said on Thursday. ''But it will be nice to become the top scorer of one of the best leagues in the world. So many good players and scorers have played here. It will come when it is supposed to.'' Already Barcelona's all-time leading scorer, Messi holds the league's single-season scoring record of 50 in 2011-12.

The 27-year-old Messi scored his 402nd goal for club and country on Wednesday in Barcelona's 3-2 loss at Paris Saint-Germain, its first defeat in eight games this season. He has 360 goals for Barcelona and 42 for Argentina, which he led to the World Cup final in July. Messi has five goals in six rounds this season to help Barcelona top the league standings. But his passing has been just as brilliant, especially in connection with Neymar . Four of Messi's six assists in the league have gone to the Brazil striker. Messi said he has always liked looking for his teammates, but that new coach Luis Enrique's move to play all three forwards inside the area, instead of having two stay on the wing, has helped him link up with Neymar. ''I have a very good relationship with (Neymar),'' Messi said. ''He is a fabulous guy and we get along very well both on and off the pitch. We haven't known each other that long, but we have a very good relationship.'' Messi is also racing Real Madrid rival Cristiano Ronaldo to reach Raul Gonzalez's Champions League record of 71 goals.

Messi has 68 while Ronaldo has 69, not counting another goal scored in the qualifying rounds. But Messi denied he is involved in a personal duel with the player who took the world player of the year award from him last season, after Messi won it for an unprecedented four straight years. ''I don't compete with Cristiano at all. I just play my game and do my duty,'' Messi said. ''And I am not interested in competing with him or anybody else. I've said many times that individual awards are the less important ones for me. I hope to be able to play a great season and help my team achieve the goals we have set at the beginning of the season. And in a club such as Barcelona those goals are winning titles.'' Messi's titles with Barcelona include three Champions League trophies. Last season was the first time since 2006-07 that the club failed to win a major title. Reblog

Question: With eight goals which Barcelona player was the leading scorer in the 2009-10 Champions League?
Answer: LIONEL MESSI